Anna Wintour has come forward in support of Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos amidst the uproar surrounding their newly appointed role as lead sponsors for the 2026 Met Gala.

In an interview with CNN on the red carpet of the Franca Fund gala in Doha, Qatar, the 76-year-old Vogue global editorial director expressed her confidence in Sánchez’s contribution to the event. “I think Lauren is going to be a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event,” Wintour stated.

Wintour further praised Sánchez, highlighting her passion for fashion and costumes. “We’re very grateful for her incredible generosity,” she mentioned. “She’s a great lover of costume and obviously of fashion, so we’re thrilled she’s part of the night.”

This strong endorsement follows the recent announcement by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, revealing that the Bezoses will be the primary financial supporters for next year’s Costume Institute exhibition and gala. They will be joining forces with additional sponsors, Saint Laurent and Condé Nast, to bring the event to life.

The endorsement comes after the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced last week that the Bezoses would bankroll next year’s Costume Institute exhibition and accompanying gala alongside secondary sponsors Saint Laurent and Condé Nast.

The theme of the May 4 fête and spring show is “Costume Art,” exploring the role of the “dressed body” throughout the museum’s collection.

The news of the Bezoses’ involvement sparked swift outcry on social media.

Instagram users flooded the museum’s announcement of the exhibition with comments arguing the couple is attempting to “buy” cultural legitimacy.

“This is such an iconic theme and it’s so so so sad to see it gutted and trashed by the choice in sponsorship,” one user wrote.

“The Metropolitan Museum of Art, SOLD!!! to the highest bidder,” another chimed in. “How distasteful.”

Tech titans footing the bill for the Costume Institute isn’t exactly new territory — Amazon sponsored the event back in 2012, and TikTok, Instagram, Apple, and Yahoo have all written checks in years past. Billionaires Stephen A. Schwarzman and his wife, Christine, underwrote the 2018 exhibition.

The Bezoses have also been on the fashion offensive this year, sitting front row at Paris Fashion Week and palling around with the Kardashian-Jenners at exclusive brand dinners and industry fêtes.

The former journalist, 55, and her Amazon founder husband, 61, skipped the 2025 Met Gala as they were preparing for their June nuptials, but they made their red-carpet debut as a couple at the 2024 event. Sánchez also appeared on a digital cover of Vogue this June in her white lace Dolce & Gabbana wedding dress.